256 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 



of those large cans set in the floor, or in a 

 room below, so as to work right along, with- 

 out any stopping to empty pails. 



USBFUIi TOOLS. 



ALSO SOMETHING ABOUT THE 

 IN TOOL MAKING. 



PKOGKKSN 



'HEN my oldest brother was about 14, 

 he announced his determination to 

 become a machinist. Of course, he 

 and I had a great many talks about making 

 steam engines, machinery, and tools in gen- 

 eral. In due time, he was an apprentice in 

 a machine shop, and about the first piece of 

 liis handiwork that he brought home was a 

 little try square, made of bright steel. As 

 it was passed around and examined by the 

 different members of our family of seven, I 

 remember his saying that he worked a half 

 day on it, after it was all done, in getting it 

 exactly "true." The boss told him that a 

 try square like that, exactly true, was worth 

 #2.00, and that very few were to be found in 

 the hands of mechanics or in the stores, that 

 were true enough to do line work with. 

 Years have passed and I presume he, as 

 well as myself*, has had ample experience of 

 the value of a true try square. A few days 

 ago, I saw a picture of just such a try 

 square, made by the Stanley Rule and Lev- 

 el Co. I sent for a sample, and found it 

 not only made all of metal, but absolutely 

 true, inside and out. As we buy largely of 

 their small tools, I soon had a bargain made 

 for a gross of them, and instead of being 

 able to sell them at 50c, as I had first hoped, 

 I succeeded in putting them on the 25 cent 

 counter. Below is a picture of the tool. 



Ill[lll|lll|lll|liijiii iiijm 



OUR ALL METAL 25 CENT TRY SQUARE. 



How is it possible to make such a tool for 

 the money? I presume it is done by having 

 very nice and expensive machinery, perhaps 

 automatic machinery, that, when it is once 

 set just right, will make the tools almost of 

 itself; for it is just as easy to make things 

 right, as to make them wrong, after man's 

 intelligence has taught the inanimate mat- 

 ter that goes to make up the machine, to be 

 subservient to his will. 



I thought when I had found some steel 

 pliers for 25c, I had done pretty well; but, 

 a few days ago, I saw a notice of pliers made 

 something like the 5c scissors. At first, I 

 thought I would not send for a sample, but 

 linally did, and was so much astonished to 

 see so pretty and strong a tool for only 5c, 

 that I ordered a gross at once; we have 



used them all about the shop, and they not 

 only do excellent service, but, to my sur- 

 prise, I have not yet heard of one's break- 

 ing. Still later the manufacturers an- 

 nounced a tool they called "nippers." This 

 was also to be sold for 5c, and I had been so 

 well pleased with the others, I tried again. 

 Our engraver has tried to show below, what 

 was sent. 



THE FIVE-CENT "NIPPERS." 



It looks like a very pretty pair of cutting 

 pliers; but, as cutting pliers cost from a 

 dollar to a dollar and a half, I decided they 

 could not be intended for cutting wire. I 

 do not know but "nippers" is the right 

 name, for they are the best thing for "nip- 

 ping" hold of things, and holding them se- 

 curely, that I have seen; at least for any- 

 thing near like the money. The finish and 

 neatness is the most surprising feature of 

 these cheap tools. One is almost invariably 

 tempted to think the manufacturers must 

 have stolen them, rather than to believe it 

 possible that they can be made for any such 

 insignificant sum. 



One day I was obliged to saw off some 

 rough boards, and, having no square with 

 me, I laid my saw across the board as nearly 

 square as I could, and made a mark to saw 

 by with a nail. Once in a while, I could 

 guess pretty well ; but most of the time my 

 boards were anything but square at the ends. 

 While deciding that my eye was not as good 

 as a try square, I all at once thought of hav- 

 ing the saw handle made in such a way that 

 it would direct the blade of the saw exactly 

 square across the board, and then, under the 

 influence of this new inspiration, I decided 

 to have a lead pencil put into the saw han- 

 dle, so as to have a saw, square, and pencil, 

 all in one. Imagine how my air castle tum- 

 bled to the ground, on finding that Disston 

 makes just such a tool exactly. Below is an 

 engraving of it, and it is sold for a dollar. 



rT-rrf^ 



COMBINATION SAW, WITH 24 IN. SQUARE 



AND RULE, STRAIGHT EDGE, AND 



SCRATCH AWL. 



KEY HOLE OR COMPASS SAW. 



Who has not broken a key hole or com- 

 pass saw, at some time or other, just because 

 it was small and slender, just as, in fact, it 

 needs to be? Well, Disston has just got up 

 one, that slides back into the handle so that, 



